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Most of us treat negotiation as a final hurdle. A back-and-forth after the offer’s made.

That’s a mistake.

Hiring doesn’t end with an offer. And negotiation doesn’t start with one.

In this episode of the School of Hiring podcast, Konstanty Sliwowski is joined by expert negotiator Stephen Hartley-Brewer to unpack one of the most misunderstood aspects of talent acquisition: the role of negotiation in the hiring process.

Stephen started his career in strategy consulting at BCG, then transitioned into high-stakes finance—negotiating complex deals at private equity firms like BC Partners and TPG-Axon. Today, he leads Hartley-Brewer Negotiation Consultants, advising law firms, financial institutions, and business services companies on how to negotiate with clarity, structure, and measurable outcomes.

Together, we explore:

• Why every hiring conversation is a negotiation—from the initial recruiter call to the final interview
• How “harmless” early questions about compensation can set damaging anchors
• Why candidates often signal one thing but mean another (and how to avoid misreading them)
• How to embed negotiation into every phase of the hiring process to avoid post-offer surprises and reduce mis-hires
• The psychology behind anchoring, misalignment, and missed signals—and how to counter them
• How to help candidates feel safe, seen, and understood while protecting your position

Whether you're a founder, CHRO, hiring manager, or candidate you'll walk away with new frameworks to improve offer acceptance rates, negotiate without friction, and secure hires that actually stick.

If you want to hire top talent with confidence—not chaos—this episode is a masterclass in negotiation for modern hiring.

Check out https://schoolofhiring.com and https://hartley-brewer.com/ for more.

Follow Konstanty Sliwowski on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sliwowskik/

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